Microsoft and EU to Settle Antitrust Case Involving Teams

Core Viewpoint - Microsoft has reached a settlement with the European Union to avoid an antitrust fine by agreeing to sell its Teams videoconferencing app separately from its Office packages [1][3]. Group 1: Settlement Details - The settlement, still in draft form, requires Microsoft to charge less for packages that do not include Teams and to enhance interoperability with rival software [2][3]. - EU regulators accepted the settlement offer after receiving positive feedback from Microsoft's customers and rivals, with a final decision expected within weeks [3]. Group 2: Background of Investigation - The investigation was initiated following a 2019 complaint by Slack, prior to its acquisition by Salesforce in 2021 [4]. - Microsoft had previously indicated its willingness to cooperate with the EU's investigation and proposed to stop automatically installing Teams for Office customers [4]. Group 3: Microsoft's Response to Antitrust Concerns - In August 2023, Microsoft announced plans to unbundle Teams from its Office and Microsoft 365 suites for customers in the European Economic Area and Switzerland [5]. - The European Commission was preparing to conduct a market test to gather feedback from competitors and enterprise customers before making a final decision [6].